The Bob Dylan Center, which houses a collection of the memorabilia and media the acclaimed musician collected over his 60-year career, held its ceremonial ribbon-cutting Tuesday at the site in downtown Tulsa. About 200 people attended the event. Dylan, a notoriously taciturn man, was not one of them. Tulsa People magazine published a gallery of … Continue reading Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa opens to the public
Category: Music
C.W. McCall, the voice behind the hit single “Convoy,” dies at 93
Bill Fries, better known as recording artist C.W. McCall, died Friday at age 93, according to a social media post by collaborator Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller. McCall, who had been in hospice care due to cancer, was 93. He had been retired from the music business for more than 40 years. McCall's lasting fame … Continue reading C.W. McCall, the voice behind the hit single “Convoy,” dies at 93
Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in Tulsa makes an appearance in a new Hanson music video
The music trio Hanson dropped a new music video about a week ago, and it contains several seconds of footage outside and inside Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 gift shop in Tulsa. The music video is for "Write You a Song," which is on a forthcoming Hanson album titled "Red Green Blue." The video … Continue reading Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in Tulsa makes an appearance in a new Hanson music video
Music lineup announced for Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa and OKC
The full music lineup recently was announced for the Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa and Oklahoma City in June, which includes one intriguing act -- Son Volt. St. Louis-based Son Volt was one of essentially three bands born out of the 1993 breakup of a highly influential country-rock band, Uncle Tupelo. (The other two … Continue reading Music lineup announced for Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa and OKC
Nolan Stolz’s Route 66 trips for musical inspiration gets coverage by the Associated Press
A few months ago, we covered Nolan Stolz's efforts to uncover information about Benonine, Texas, and other ghost towns along Route 66 as part of his research for his forthcoming “Route 66 Suite” he’s composing for orchestras. The Associated Press recently distributed a story based in Kingman, Arizona, about Stolz, a South Carolina music professor … Continue reading Nolan Stolz’s Route 66 trips for musical inspiration gets coverage by the Associated Press
More than 70 episodes of “Ozark Jubilee” music TV show now are online
More than 70 episodes of the influential "Ozark Jubilee" music television show that aired on ABC-TV from Springfield, Missouri, during the late 1950s and early '60s now can be viewed on YouTube. Getting those nearly 70-year-old episodes online was part of Missouri State University Libraries' years-long Ozark Jubilee Digitization Project that finished in early February, … Continue reading More than 70 episodes of “Ozark Jubilee” music TV show now are online
Week-long grand reopening of Church Studio in Tulsa begins today
The week-long grand opening of the historic and renovated Church Studio in Tulsa begins today, which is exactly 50 years after music legend Leon Russell bought the property. Tours of Church Studio are available from March 1 to March 5 for a $5 donation, with tours costing $25 after that. The studio sits at 304 … Continue reading Week-long grand reopening of Church Studio in Tulsa begins today
Lee Emmerson, writer of the Route 66-inspired song “Signs,” dies at 77
Lee Emmerson, leader of the Five Man Electrical Band who wrote a hit song, "Signs," that he said was inspired by a journey on Route 66, died in a hospital Dec. 10 of COVID-19 complications. He was 77. According to CVT News in Canada, Emmerson's wife said he was double vaccinated but had underlying conditions … Continue reading Lee Emmerson, writer of the Route 66-inspired song “Signs,” dies at 77
Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
The play and film "West Side Story" is well known as the story of a fictional turf war between white and Puerto Rican street gangs in Manhattan. However, "West Side Story" was inspired by a real-life gang fight in 1955 in San Bernardino, California, about a half-mile north of Route 66. The historic Mitla Cafe … Continue reading Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
30th-anniversary editions of Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable … with Love” coming in 2022
Several 30th-anniversary editions of Natalie Cole’s megahit "Unforgettable … With Love" album are coming early next year. That record remains best-known for its smash duet single, "Unforgettable," with her deceased father, Nat King Cole. "Unforgettable .... with Love" also contains Natalie's own version of "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," a Bobby Troup-written song made … Continue reading 30th-anniversary editions of Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable … with Love” coming in 2022